Search

Inspection is the most critical phase of controlling and mitigating safety risks. However, current safety inspection practices are heavily experience-driven without considering generic interrelationships of safety risks. In this study, we performed a partition analysis based on risk interrelationships using inspection data with the goal of discovering distribution patterns of safety risks. Our results exhibit consistent chronological connections between risk attributes, including spatial and temporal characteristics. The mechanics of safety risk interrelationships were further investigated. In terms of the spatial aspects, ongoing unsafe conditions were observed in multiple locations. Spatial resource limitations and the interfaces at various locations were found to be key contributors to risk interrelationships. In terms of temporal aspects, a high similarity of work at different times and ongoing unsafe conditions were considered as key contributors. Practical Application: By understanding the spatial-temporal interrelationships of the risk characteristics, managers can develop improved strategies for devising inspection routes, which will thereby improve inspection efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using free and sustainable solar energy to produce hydrogen is the most promising strategy to resolve the environmental pollution and global energy crisis. The properties of sensitized matrix and co–catalyst, including the dispersibility, lattice structure and electrical performance, are usually two the decisive factors for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This paper reports a facile synthetic process of surface–clean monodisperse Pt(100) nanocubes supported on graphene surface using amide functional groups as induction sites. The prepared catalyst (AG/Pt(100)) not only incorporate plentiful amide functional groups that act as the dispersant and stabilizer into surface and edge of graphene, but also significantly dislodge the oxygen–containing functional groups, which hold strong promise for improving conductivity, carrier concentration and mobility of sensitized matrix. Simultaneously, the monodisperse Pt(100) nanocubes supported on graphene surface exposure more active sites. These results provide the necessary conditions for efficient catalysts. Without any pre–treatment, it exhibits high H 2 generation activity (553.7 μmol for 2 h) and apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) (33.9% at 430 nm) under visible light irradiation when Eosin Y is used as photosensitizer. These superior production H 2 activities can attribute to enhance the dispersion and conductivity of sensitized matrix, construct special geometry of Pt(100) nanocubes and prolong the lifetime of photogenerated electron. Image 1 • Catalyst prepares in a low-cost liquid phase condition induction by amino groups. • AG/Pt(100) possesses monodisperse Pt(100) nanocubes and small size distribution. • AG/Pt(100) catalyst has superior conductivity, carrier concentration and mobility. • AG/Pt(100) exhibits high PHE (553.7 μmol for 2 h) and AQE (33.9% at 430 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new index was proposed to evaluate the influence of ENSO on all tropical vegetation better. • The tropics showed a greening trend from 1982 to 2018. • ENSO event can lead to the greening or browning in at least 10% of tropical areas. • The increasing of precipitation and temperature played the leading role in the process of greening and browning respectively. • The VERI in different periods showed the interesting changes of ENSO's influence on vegetation. With the intensification of extreme weather events in recent years, the drought, flood and fire caused by super El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) led to lot's of vegetation destruction in multiple tropical regions. However, little is known about the influence of ENSO on tropical vegetation of long time series (especially after 2015) and the influence's internal mechanism. Based on generating the long-term vegetation data (combined multiple satellite sensors data), a new index (Vegetation - ENSO response index, VERI) was created to evaluate the influence of ENSO on vegetation more accurately and comprehensively, which considering several factors including the correlation between ENSO index and NDVI anomaly, the change amplitude of NDVI in ENSO events and the duration time and lag time of the influence of ENSO on vegetation. The analysis indicated that tropical vegetation exhibited a fluctuating increase state with an overall increasing range of 4.46%, and the greening trends were the most significant and dramatical in the Indian Peninsula (0.0031/y), the coast of the Gulf of Guinea (0.0026/y), and the Amazon River estuary (0.0025/y). ENSO can lead to significant enhancement or degradation of vegetation in at least 10% of tropical regions, especially in East Africa (|VERI| =0.16), Southern Africa (|VERI|=0.18) and Indonesia (|VERI|=0.14). Among them, shrubs are the most widely affected areas (32.08%) due to limited water resources. ENSO's greening effect is mainly accomplished by increasing precipitation (warm/r = 0.166, cold/r = 0.249) and its degradation effect is more closely related to temperature increase (warm/r = −0.374, cold/r = −0.101). The change of VERI in different periods indicated that the ENSO's influence on vegetation has changed after 2000, which meant the improving effect of cold events on tropical vegetation was weakened, while the inhibiting effect was enhanced. These findings can help us better understand and respond to the effects of ENSO on tropical vegetation in the context of global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, there is no specific effective western medicine for functional dyspepsia (FD), especially in children. Clinically, child compound Endothelium corneum (CCEC) has shown to be effective for the therapy of FD, however, the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated yet. FD was induced in rats by irregular diet plus dilute hydrochloric acid feeding. Gastric emptying and small intestinal transit were examined by intragastric gavage with Evans blue. Histopathology was assessed by H&E staining. Gastrointestinal hormones and brain gut peptides were measured by ELISA assay. mRNA expression level was quantified by real-time PCR. Protein expression level was detected by western blotting assay. Gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA miseq sequencing. CCEC significantly enhanced gastric emptying and small intestinal transit of FD rats, and prominently suppressed gastrointestinal microinflammation. At phylum level, CCEC prevented the decrease of Firmicutes and the increase of Bacteroidetes in gut of FD rats. In stomach of FD rats, MTL, CCK and VIP levels were significantly increased, which could be repressed by CCEC; however, the decreased GAS level could not be elevated by CCEC. In small intestine of FD rats, MTL and GAS levels were decreased, while VIP content was increased. These alterations could be effectively reversed by CCEC. NPY levels in serum, small intestine and hypothalamus of FD rats were significantly decreased, which could be rescued by CCEC. Moreover, the over-activated POMC/Stat3/Akt pathway in hypothalamus of FD rats could be suppressed by CCEC. CCEC enhanced gastrointestinal motility probably through rebalancing the homeostasis of brain-gut-microbiota axis in FD rats. The novel findings may provide insightful theoretical basis for its clinical employment. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]